Service signal for restaurants and the like



D 1951 RE. MALLORY 7 ,51 ,686

SERVICE SIGNAL FOR RESTAURANTS AND THE LIKE Filed Bay 20, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SERVICE SIGNAL FOR RESTAURANTS AND THE LIKE Robert Earl Mallory, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application May 20, 1948, Serial No. 28,067 io aml (01. 40-67) This invention has to do with a device removably mounted upon a counter, table, or the like, particularly in restaurants and other eating establishments, rendering it possible for a customer to inform his waiter or waitress when service is desired.

The most important object of this invention is to provide a signal having an L-shaped member swingably mounted in a suitable support therefor for movement to and from a position where one face of one of the legs of the member is exposed to view, whereby a waitress can be summoned to render whatever service a customer might desire.

Other objects of this invention relate to details of construction, all of which will be made clear or become apparent after the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a service signal for restaurants or the like made in accordance with the present invention, showing the same in an inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof, showing the signal in an operative position; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing, a panel-like body, broadly designated by the numeral ID, has a bottom wall l2 and a pair of opposed upstanding side walls l4 and I6 respectively. These side walls 14 and I6 are of the same length as the bottom wall I2 of body It! and are disposed at right angles thereto and integral with bottom wall I2.

The uppermost free edges of both walls I4 and I6 are arcuate to present a pleasing and attractive design. An elongated shaft [8 interconnects the walls l4 and I6 intermediate their ends and directly above the bottom wall l2 of body Hi. This shaft is longer than the width of the bottom wall [2 and rotatably passes through openings 20 and 22 formed in walls [4 and I6 respectively.

An L-shaped signal, broadly designated by the numeral 24, is L-shaped in cross section, presenting a pair of legs 26 and 28. The signal 24 embraces a portion of the shaft l8 and is aifixed thereto, said shaft being disposed at the point of merger between legs 26 and 28 of the signal 24.

It is thus seen that signal 24 is swingably mounted on the walls l4 and I6 of body 10 by virtue of the rotative movement of shaft IS in openings and 22.

One face of the leg 28 opposite to the leg 26 of signal 24 has suitable indicia inscribed or otherwise formed thereon to indicate to a waiter or a waitress when service is desired and when 2 the signal 24 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

When signal 24 is in such position, the leg 26 thereof rests upon the uppermost face of bottom wall l2 of body I0. By the same token, when signal 24 is moved to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the leg 28 rests upon the wall l2 of body l0, hiding the indica 30 from view. In this position, the leg 26 of signal 24 is substantially perpendicular to the wall l2. A substantially U- shaped resilient bracket 32 is secured to the body l0 and serves as a means for releasably and yieldably holding the entire assembly upon a table, counter or the like 34.

One leg of this member 32 underlies the wall 12 of body l0 and is secured thereto by rivets or the like 36. This leg extends forwardly beyond the Wall l2 of body l0 opposite to the end of body It), having openings 20 and 22 formed therein, and loops around an edge of the table 34 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

The other leg of clip or bracket 32 underlies the table 34 and has its free end 38 bent outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit easy mounting of the assembly upon table 34.

The body l0 may have any suitable table accessory aflixed thereto, such as an ashtray 40. This ashtray 40 rests directly upon the uppermost surface of table 34 and is joined to the body [0 in any suitable manner.

If desired, tray 40 can be removably mounted upon body It). Other accessories, such as napkin holders, holders for salt and pepper shakers, sugar bowls and the like may well form an integral part of the body 10.

It is readily apparent that the signal above described may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and, when placed in use, customers will readily understand its principle of operation and can place the same in use to a distinct advantage both to the customer and to the restaurant employee.

The customer can quickly signal for service and the waitress similarly can move the device to an inoperative position, after the device has served its purpose.

While only one modification of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that such changes and modifications as fairly come within the scope of the appended claim are contemplated hereby.

Having thus described my invention, what I clairin as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent s:

A service signal for restaurants comprising a tray-like supporting member having a horizontal bottom wall and a pair of opposed side walls integral with and perpendicular to the bottom wall, the top and ends of the member being open; and an L-shaped signalling device carried by the supporting member between the said side Walls thereof, said device including a pair of integrallyjoined, relatively perpendicular, flat panels, the outer face of one of the panels having indicating markings thereon; a transverse shaft rigidly secured to the device at thepoint of interconnection between said panels and on the inner faces thereof, said shaft extending at both ends thereof beyond said device, said side Walls each being provided with an opening for pivotally receiving the proximal end of said shaft, said openings being spaced above said bottom wall, whereby said one panel is disposed between said side walls with its outer face resting in overlying relationship on 4 said bottom wall when the device is swung to one end of its path of travel; and when the device is swung in the opposite direction, the free edge of the other panel at its outer face rests on said bottom wall with the one panel in a position perpendicular to the bottom wall, the markings facing in a direction toward the open end of the member. 1

"ROBERT EARL MALLORY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inrthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,436,962 Kaiser Nov. 28, 1922 2,337,625 Sacksteder Dec. 28, 1943 

